The Grizzlies waited for years for Pau Gasol to be a physical inside presence, and it was never going to happen.
Gasol didn't have the physique or the psyche to be a force on the block. It just wasn't his game, and he got traded last winter to the Lakers where he can live happily ever after as Kobe Bryant's caddy. But in that trade, the Grizzlies got the draft rights to Pau's younger brother Marc, who so far, has turned out to be a pleasant surprise as the 7-foot-1, 280-pound starting center for the Grizzlies.
In his first three games, Marc Gasol has averaged eight points and nine rebounds. Better yet, he has played physically. He never backed off banging with Houston's Yao Ming in the opener and hit Orlando's Dwight Howard so much that Howard got frustrated and drew a technical.
"You've got to do what you've got to do to win games," Marc Gasol said. "As soon as I step on the court, I'm ready to go."
Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay said Gasol's strength is deceiving.
"You don't realize how strong he is until he runs into you," Gay said. "If a guy as strong as Dwight Howard gets frustrated with Marc, you know he's strong."
BULLS 96, GRIZZLIES 86: The Grizzlies led by eight at halftime Saturday, and they hoped to go over .500 for the first time since 2005-06. But Bulls rookie point guard Derrick Rose, the pride of Memphis who led the Tigers to the Final Four championship game last April, scored 26 points and just destroyed Grizzlies point guards Mike Conley and Kyle Lowry.
Once again, the only Grizzlies' offense was Rudy Gay, who scored 20 points. The Grizzlies still are lacking outside shooters, as they are 6-of-32 on 3-pointers in their first three games.
